Rainy night reflections
by Asatigre
Summary: It's late and the rain outside won't stop pouring. Minato can't sleep, so he settles for gazing at the woman on his bed. Drabble!


Rain fell on the ground with heavy thuds, the sky was obfuscated by the dark clouds and the night felt peaceful to Minato, even though the moon was nowhere to be seen.

The blonde was resting his elbows on the windowsill, with his hands holding his chin as he gazed the outside without really seeing what was in there.

A mere couple of steps behind him there was a bed currently occupied by a strange creature. The creature was almost completely covered by blue blankets, leaving only long strands of red hair visible, due to the winter's cold. With light sounds, she was peacefully asleep.

To others, the creature was scary and something to be avoided, but for Minato she was the cutest and loveliest creature of all. She was his girlfriend, Kushina Uzumaki.

Turning his head to look at her figure, Minato couldn't help but feel grateful. She was drop dead gorgeous, with a more passionate spirit than fire itself, as well as a kind presence that soothed him and made him feel at home and in the middle of an adventure at the same time. Suffice it to say she brought the best out of him and more, more than what he knew he had inside of him.

In his life, he hadn't known much luck, if he was to be honest with himself. Being born into a small clan and raised only by his mother, everything he had, he got through blood and tears. Somehow, he managed to create a habit of improving himself and reflecting upon the world ever since he learned to stand on his two legs. Nobody owned him anything, not even his own happiness which like everything, was something he had to earn, he soon realized.

One stroke of luck he had in his life was when Jiraya, one of the great three sanin, was charged with being the teacher of his genin team. But even that could be explained by his boundless efforts to become a great ninja. After all, Minato was one of the youngest children to graduate from the academy, if not the youngest ever in history.

In the end, what mattered was that he found not only a great teacher in the perverted sage, but the father figure he was lacking in his life and an invaluable friend and ally. To say he learnt a lot from him was an understatement. Everything from ninjutsu, taijutsu, values, dressing well, philosophy, writing and even romance was touched upon during their times together.

Minato still remembered as if it were yesterday the first time Jiraya addressed the fairer sex. The older man thought him to be some sort of automaton because of the effort he placed on training the mind, and the body, as well as his frequent interrogations of everything his master did. Looking back, perhaps his master wasn't so unorthodox to think in such a way.

"Say, Minato, is there any girl you fancy?" The older man asked of his disciple as they walked on a dirt road leading to the hidden leaf village.

"Fancy?" He asked, with wonder and confusion plainly painted on his eyes.

"Yes! Fancy, as in… you know… think she is attractive and that you want to spend lots of time with her."

"Well, yes. I suppose I fancy most girls who graduated the academy."

"Hmm… you are on the right track boy, but there are things you do not grasp yet. Perhaps only experience will teach you. At least you are right on the head." The master said, placing his hand on his chin. Minato sweat dropped before replying.

"Like it taught you, master?"

"Yes… like it taught me."

"Say, master, is there a girl you fancy?"

"I guess there is," Jiraya replied after pondering for a second. "But she is far from my reach now. There is no shame in loving someone and as soon as you realise you have feelings for someone, you must act upon them without delay, unless you want to live in regret, which is worse than anything that may happen afterward. Remember what I've just said with great care, young man." He said as he placed his hand on top of Minato's head. The boy looked up to him. His master had a smile on his face.

Jiraya probably did not think much of that day, but Minato kept his words close to his heart. And sure enough, one day he met Kushina. At first he just watched over her every now and again to make sure she was alright, since she was an orphan and had no one to really take good care of her. Then one day, she was kidnapped, and Minato was quick to come to her rescue.

At the moment they were on top of a tall tree, she on his arms and the bright moon on the clear sky, he knew he loved her and that he wanted to spend lots of time with her. So taking his master's advice, he acted without delay on his feelings.

He took her on many places and adventures, he took her to the lake, he took her to the swings in the park, he showed her flowers so beautiful that might as well come out of her dreams. They practiced taijutsu and ninjutsu together, went on camping expeditions in the forests of Konoha and soon started walking in the street hand in hand.

Then they were older, young adults by anyone's standards, and she was making him tea and placing a blanket over him as he napped from his study on the scrolls that would one day help him perfect his signature jutsu.

Without him realising, soon they were boyfriend and girlfriend living in the same apartment, having good times and sharing the bad ones together, just like they always had done.

Minato had much to be grateful to his master for his wise advice. The perverted sage was most likely at that moment in a inn surrounded by beautiful women doing "research" as he liked to call it, or up and about, touching up his next story. Wherever he was, his young apprentice wished him well.

"Darling, what are you doing by the window? Come lay down with me, it's sooo cosy in here" Kushina said with a smile that reached her eyes.

"I'm coming dear." Minato said before he got under the sheets with his girlfriend.

"What were you doing? Is there something troubling you?"

"No, not really. I was just thinking how lucky I am to have the life that I have, with you in it."

"Aww baby, come here!" Kushina said right before she hugged her beloved. They stayed in silence for a while, locked in an embrace, before she broke the silence.

"Tomorrow we have nothing to do, so let's just rest up while we can. This winter cold won't do us any good."

"You are right, honey. Let's try to get to get some sleep." Minato said as he turned off the bedside table lamp.

"Good night, darling." Kushina said as she enlaced her legs with his.

"Good night, dear."

Kushina soon fell asleep again. Minato followed her. The young shinobi knew what he wanted out of life and what he had to do to get it. Every single day he would strive to become stronger, smarter, wiser and faster than anyone so he could protect his village, his friends, family and Kushina, as well as the children he someday wanted to have with her. That was his role in life. To be a guardian, it was damn well worth every single one of his efforts. Especially now that war was over and there was some peace in the world.

 **Author's notes: Thank you for reading this short story, I hope it was of your liking, for a long time I've been wanting to write something about these two and last night I came up with the concept for this story. Reviews and comments are welcomed, either negative or positive.**

 **Merry Christmas and happy new year, take care!**


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